Why are you always hearing those words when you squat, “Hips back! Hips back!” Well, using the overhead squat as an example, the plane of the bar should bisect the body. Meaning, if you were split in two by the bar, half your weight should be in front of it and half behind it. In order to accomplish this, you need to push your hips back behind you. This engages the muscles in the backs of your legs, plants your weight in your heels, and positions your weight evenly underneath the bar.

In the photos below, you can see on the left what happens when you do NOT push your hips back. Your weight ends up in your toes, your quads are working overtime, and your knees are pushed far out in front. Most of your weight is in front of the bar. This is a precarious and unstable position.

The photo on the right is much closer to a proper overhead squat. The knees and hips are back and the shoulders are much more open. Although, to achieve a more solid connection between the heels and the ground, a good pair of weight lifting shoes would help get the squat form even closer to perfect!